1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a pharmacological composition for use in the treatment of a variety of diseases, the composition being preferably employed for treating a patient, such as a human being or animal, with ozone, and more particularly the invention relates to a composition comprising dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO), ozone or ozonized oxygen and a pharmaceutically acceptable vehicle, for use in the treatment of several diseases such as diseases affecting the feet in animals, such as the hooves in horses, arthritis, muscular affections, etc. in human beings, by applying the composition on an external part of the body of the patient, in the skin, nails, hair, for example, for treating not only external affections but also internal affections, such as in the tissues, wherein the composition is applied in preparations like ointments, creams, oleosus liquids, etc. The invention also relates to a method for obtaining the composition by ozonizing a mixture of DMSO and pharmaceutically acceptable vehicles and a method for treating diseases by applying the composition.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is well known to subject a patient to an ozone-based treatment for treating several diseases. Ozone is a triatomic oxygen formed by the action of solar UV radiation on O2 or by electric discharges that condense normal oxygen atoms. Schoenbein discovered the ozone in 1839. Thereafter, the ozone entered the scientific world and in the 19th Century numerous researchers started investigating ozone and revealed properties thereof. During World War I the ozone was used in medicine applications. Dr. Wolf used ozone to heal wounds.
In the '30s, with the advent of antibiotics and drugs, the ozone fell into disuse and became an alternative therapy, especially in Germany since 1950. In the '60s, scientists in Cuba reintroduced the ozone in the medical field with success. Cuba's medical success, together with the problems posed by the abusive use of antibiotics and drug side effects, resuscitated Europe's interest in the medicinal ozone. Since then, ozone has been used routinely in clinical medicine. Toxicological studies have confirmed not only the absence of damage after the therapeutic application of ozonized oxygen but also a high percentage of satisfactory results, of about 70% to 80%, in those cases where the application of ozone is useful.
Ozone therapy is a highly valuable medical technology, very useful in several fields and against multiple pathologies. (Matassi R., 1981; Quiñones M., 1988; Kramer F.; Santiesteban R., 1990; Rilling S., 1983). Ozone's bioactivity principles are based on ozone primary interactions with certain very active substances that are present in all living organisms. The feasibility to obtain such ozone metabolites is founded in the fact of having adequate model substances in the appropriate reaction conditions. This may be achieved through the special controlled ozonization of certain essential natural substances.
In Europe, ozonized cream is widely used in medicine and cosmetics in humans. The therapeutic effectiveness of these topical preparations are framed only within the treatment of several external affections, particularly skin disorders. Because of its general germicidal, viricidal, anti-parasitic and fungicidal action the ozone has been used to treat epidermophytosis, gingivostomatitis, external chronic otitis, genital herpes, vulvo-vaginal candidiasis, varicose ulcer, crusts, septic wounds. While ozonized cream is effective and tolerant, and has no adverse effects, such as allergic dermatitis or systemic allergies, these creams could not be used for treating internal diseases as long as the way for making the ozone enter the tissues had not been found.
Some therapeutic properties of the ozone may be generally listed as follows:
1. High germicidal power, namely bactericidal, fungicidal, viricidal and anti-parasitic.
2. Ozone improves the rheologic properties of blood and blood circulation through the capillaries.
3. Ozone increases erythrocytes' oxygen absorption capacity as well as oxygen transfer to tissues, thus improving oxygenation.
4. Ozone boosts oxygen metabolism processes through stimulation of several biochemical cycles.
5. Ozone modulates biological oxidative stress by activating the antioxidant-defense enzyme system.
6. Ozone provides Immuno-modulatory and immuno-restorative effects.
7. Ozone provides modulatory effect of biological response.
8. Ozone provides growth stimulation of granulation tissue and epithelization. Cicatrizant action.
9. Ozone revitalizes the epithelial tissue.
Today, ozone-therapy is employed medical treatments by using generally aggressive, invasive and complex techniques. Some of the treating techniques are the following:
Auto-hemotherapy: the patient must be hospitalized and intervened in a surgical room.
Injections: the ozone is injected by intramuscular or subcutaneous ways, however these injections provokes strong muscular pains in the patient because of the gaseous nature of the ozone entering into the muscular tissues.
Inter-disc injections: this consists of the injection of the ozone in the discs of the vertebral spine for treating disc hernias, however, this treatment must be excessively delicate and the needle must be guided towards and into the vertebrae disc by using computerized tomography.
Rectal administration: the ozone in gaseous form is injected via rectal, however the retention of the gas is very uncomfortable and difficult, particularly when treating animals and children.
Under the above circumstances it would be very convenient to have a preparations for administering ozone to a part of the body of a patient affected by a disease that may be treated by ozone, particularly a preparation for topical administration, i.e. in an external part of the body, that permits the ozone to enter the several skin layers and tissues to reach an inner zone of the body affected by the disease. It has been well known that ozone can not enter the skin layers and tissues to reach, for example, to an affection deep into an articulation with the ozone being applied in the external surface, namely the skin, close to the affected inner zone.